Fat is a type of crazy

24 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I don't believe I've ever had a relationship with a woman that didn't tell me bad things about a previous lover.

Obviously that didn't apply to the women where I was their first, but after it was over they said bad things about me to their next lover.

 

How about you? Did your lovers tell you bad things about their previous lovers?

I'm betting they did, and you believed them.

 

I always thought, if true ............

1. why didn't you leave

2. why didn't you report them to the police?

3. why didn't they get jail time?

 

It's not as if every town in the west doesn't have a women's refuge.

Oddly I've never found any men's refuge, but have known many men mistreated by women.

To be honest I can't think of a girlfriend that talked bad about previous partners. Maybe some snark here and there. Maybe you are attracted to a certain type of woman.

Don't think too much. You are somewhat synonymous with Asean Now as a regular poster along with a handful of others. I think your honest posts are liked by most.

It's hard to reconcile the 'pub' posts and the posts where you seem to support some authoritarian non democratic types but that's often the strange thing about Asean now. People's attitudes to personal issues can seem at odds with how they see the wider world. 

Every media source I watch has a way of telling the story that can be looked upon as a bias or being influenced by a preexisting outlook on the world. You can tell the same story in 2 ways that are both objectively correct.

A right wing person, or a person who doesn't trust media, may see PBS as biased, even though it is fully fact checked, because it may have a tone sometimes of being a bit dismissive of, say,  right wing figures or policies or ideas. The PBS person may feel objectively that some right wing or populist person deserves scorn. It may be because the PBS person is educated, has a good knowledge of history, and has standards that say outright lies, and certain other actions  in politics are not acceptable. That person may ask how do you talk about a figure in politics, who seems objectively silly, ridiculous or dangerous, in a way that isn't somewhat dismissive.

A different commentator may interpret that leader differently. They may call the lies theatre and judge that such lies are a means to an end, and judge that person on outcomes, such as the state of the economy or figures for immigration etc. They may say the educated person is stymied by their education rather than helped. Held back by a life of too much thought and not enough action. That's not to say only the left is educated. 

But facts are facts and the media that fully fact checks and owns up to mistakes gets a big tick. 

PBS, The Age Australia, The Guardian, NY Times, Washington Post, ABC News in America, CNN in part, all have a way of telling stories that are more likely to be critical of right wing and populist ideology but are fully fact checked. It's good to to check out some right wing media from time to time though , some which is fact checked, some that is so biased as to be deemed entertainment and unwatchable for more than 5 minutes.

Working from home following Covid has helped a lot. Many working at home a couple of days a week. Some lucky ones full time. Trains much better. 

18 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

It sounds very similar to my son's area, $1300 is very cheap. His latest premium is $3500. How big is your block of land, and who are you insured with?

As it happens I live less than 10km from your son. If I recall correctly  he is in Olinda. I was in Olinda for 10 years as a kid. Beautiful place.

I had a policy with Coles insurance where in my first year they started nice and low at $800, and have increased it well above the inflation rate since, but still good. Other ones that offer reasonable rates are Woolworths and AAMI. Some like Budget Direct won't insure in  that area. I first joined GIO but after a claim for a new roof after a hailstorm there rates went crazy. 

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

You read but you don't understand.

Those properties are already owned/leveraged.

Without the ability to insure them they become worthless.

The current owners won't continue to repay any loans, the financial institutions will suffer a 100% loss.

 

A 4% default (1 in 25) will be a massive blow to the finances of the country and it's institutions.

You seem to be agreeing climate change is a thing. Good job.

There aren't that many houses in Australia in that situation so it's not that dire. Way less than 4 per cent I'd say. Most live in the city and suburbs that look the same as other countries. There are though large areas with relatively few houses that are at risk. Not to minimise the risk as it is definitely significant to small part of the population. 

I do live in such a house less than an hour from the city, surrounded by big gum trees, kookaburras and cockatoos etc. It is a bit of a risk and insurance will probably get more expensive, right now it's about AUD $1300 so pretty good,  but it makes for a nice lifestyle.

We have a large and active fire brigade, professional and volunteer, and those who live here know how to minimise the risk. So I think it effects a relative small number of properties and those people amongst the trees, particularly nearer to the cities,  are able to somewhat adapt and lessen the risk. 

7 hours ago, Sheryl said:

That is correct. But these posters are saying you have to buy the policy at least 14 days in advance. Could be, I've never tried to buy it.

 

But makes absolutely no sense. How do they know whether or not you contract COVID during that 14 day period? 

It does make some sense. The insurance company is saying that to be covered for the whole 30 days you need to buy it 14 days before hand or get a PCR test. This stops people who get covid in the last days before the trip buying the policy last minute to cover it. 

The Thai authorities probably should not accept a policy not purchased 14 days in advance or without a PCR test, given you won't be covered for part of the trip,  but maybe they haven't thought it through or don't care or it depends on the officer looking at the document. 

24 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

@Robin

 

You need to be insured for 30 days.

 

Most of the companies offering policies specifically designed for Thailand Pass (which you do not have to get - see my post above) do nto specify a waiting period. Only FWD, the cheapest one, does. You do not have to send them a PCR test result unless you want to do so in order to get the 14 day waiting period waived, but that would  make the whole thing more expensive.

 

To my understanding, what the 14 day waiting period means is that you would not be covered for COVID if it were diagnosed in the first 14 days of arrival. (which means that, practically speaking, your 30 day cover is in effect for only 16 days). Pretty useless, but Thailand Pass will accept it.

 

While the other Thailand Pass-specific policies I have seen do not specify a waiting period, they all exclude coverage if you already have COVID at the time the policy starts, and it is a pretty sure bet that anyone diagnosed within say a week or so of arrival would be considered a "pre-existing" case.

 

Regarding age, and assuming you are not willing or able to get "real" ongoing insurance, use this website and fill in your age and it will show options for it.

 

https://asq.in.th/thailand-covid-insurance

 

As you will see, there are 3 policies shown for age 77. One is the aforementioned 650 baht COVID-only policy (which will actually cover you for only 16 days) with US$20,000  coverage . The second is  a general travel  policy from Atlas that covers up to $50,000 USD for everything, not just COVID, and costs about 9,000 baht.  The third is a COVID-specific policy issued by the Thai General Insurance Association (developed solely for Thailand Pass purposes) that covers only COVID and up to $100,000 with no waiting period. This  costs 11,000 baht. Being more expensive yet covering fewer things than Atlas, pretty much a no brainer not to get this.

 

Even though the requirement is for only 10K cover there are no policies offering that for people your age.(And indeed only 2 companies offering it at all - one of these, Luma, will insure up to age 75)

 

These are what is shown on the website above and these are policies that will generate the needed certificate with language acceptable to Thailand Pass. However there are many other international travel policies out there, just google your home country + travel insurance for seniors. You would need to make sure you would get something specifically  stating COVID is covered, though. Almost all policies these days do cover COVID but would not necessarily state this on the insurance certificate.

I thought if you buy the 650 baht policy 14 days before arrival you are covered for the whole 30 days of your trip.

I have a credit card that has travel insurance. They used to make you spend AUD $500 on the airfare or accommodation but now you just get it with no conditions. Not bad for a fee free card. It doesn't cover covid but seems otherwise OK so I though the 650 baht policy might be fine.

Birds are self aware and fairly smart. Particularly cockatoos and crows near me.

Climate change and heating is real. I am basing that on expert opinion rather than some guys on the internet.

The fact that one month or one day or one hour is less than the average of the 20th century is not a thing. Need to look at a longer period. Enough reputable scientists to massively outweigh the odd scandal here and there.

There were no politicians like orange man back then or if there were they were sidelined, as duds and loonies didn't have the internet to gather together, and give credence to nonsense. 

For people overall the world is much better now than in the 80's. Ask Thai people about life in 1980's. Some westerners liked it then because they had money and Thai's did not so they could do things to them and they accepted it. 

For Australians life is better in some ways in terms of access to fun and travel and good food. Bogans much more prevalent back then. Some things not as good, maybe tougher to get a start, pressure of social media on the young ones, some people a bit less friendly. Still good beaches and nature though cities overrun by terrible blocks of apartments. I see pictures of working in the office back then - a small desk, no computer or a crappy one, no thanks. 

I am OK with 2022. 

26 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

There's a difference between tax avoidance and tax minimization.  Most on this forum would be "clean skins."  It's not about absconding from debt to the ATO. 

 

It's also not about avoiding tax, it's bout minimizing tax, as seen in the Kerry Packer clip I posted. Minimizing tax is not a crime.  The ATO is just another bill to pay.  No one here is talking about fraud. 

 

Minimizing tax is a hell of a lot more difficult to do when you want to be an Australian resident for taxation purposes, but don't live in Australia. 

 

If the 183 day law comes in, it's impossible to request a review or appeal of your non resident tax bill because immigration records show Australian citizens as being outside of Australia, and for how long.  They have you on toast.  As a pensioner, IN MY OPINION, if pensions  are not exempt, your pension MAY simply decrease by 32.5%.  

 

Yes, should the unthinkable happen and the 183 day law comes in, and is strictly enforced, with no exemptions, you, me, and the vast majority of retired expats will be knocked for 6. 

 

Members were posting like the government gives a sh*t, or pensioners back home would be outraged and it would be in the papers and there would be riots and they would be burning the Australian flag in the streets.  ???? 

 

The reality is, not the government, nor pensioners back home, and certainly not the tax payers, give a rat's a** if this comes in, and pensions are taxed as well.  Why would they?

 

Due to the geographical location we chose to live in, we are at the mercy of these new changes, and how they will be implemented, and it costs the government no votes, and nets them billions of dollars. 

 

I posted the changes as a head up.  Do with the information as you please. 

I think there would be significant pushback. The government has said, after a life of working and paying taxes hopefully,  people can get their pension and move overseas within certain guidelines. The Australian fair go principle would not be consistent with older Australians losing a third of their pension in tax. 

Australia has a big number of people born in a different country and so there would be a lot of noise if they tried to introduce this - if not from the expats then from the broader Australian families and communities.

There are stricter rules around taking other government payments overseas but to force 1000's of older Australians back due to holding a third of their pension I think is not likely at all. 

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

I've never applied for nor received a cent of the OAP (or whatever it's called now), but do receive a superannuation pension from my years slaving for the govt.

It is taxed, but at a reasonable, residents rate. This proposed way of taxing my stipend would definitely hurt, and affect my lifestyle. I decided some time ago that I will never return to Australia

My on-line tax form comes prefilled by ATO, all I do each year is confirm the detail. I will be waiting with some trepidation to see how it is completed this year.

I'll be in the same boat as you in a few years. I can't quite see how you could not be taxed on your government superannuation pension as a non resident if you stay in Thailand all year but not my business. Someone had told me that the nature of getting a defined benefit pension made it easier to be a resident of Australia but I have seen nothing to back that up. 

I am curious too, about an issue a different poster raised, as to if concessions that apply to over 60's for residents, can apply to non residents, or if the latter are treated the same at any age. Hard to find details on such issues.

Six months there and six months in Australia might be necessary in my case. 

1 hour ago, howlee101 said:

You seem to be fascinated/obsessed with Fox News.  Just curious if you actually watch Fox News to form your biased opinion of their content....or do you regurgitate what you hear on MSNBC and/or CNN? 

It does suck. Some news bits aren't bad and are just mildly biased like CNN.

Fox News appalls me  because they will take a 1 in a 1000 situation, one bad or misguided teacher, one errant or misguided trans person, some tiny part of a curriculum, and make a one off thing seem like a full blown national emergency. 

I concur with most here. Keep an open mind and let trans people do their thing. At the same time it doesn't mean you have to accept each and every whim of trans people, or issues such as government policies or spending on such issues, etc. 

I have posted only during the covid pandemic. Like I was communicating with people in a warm green place forbidden to me. Today when I heard it was going to be much easier it made me think what's next. I have a ticket for June. 

4 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Yes.  I believe that the attitude towards women in Thai society is the cause for both the prevalence of sexual harassment and physical violence against them.

 

I'm not sure how you can separate men thinking it's OK to sexually abuse women from men thinking it's OK to physically abuse women.  Both are symptoms of the way that Thai society views women and how men can treat them.

 

But there is sexual abuse against women all over the world as well.  If one is ruled out because it happens everywhere, then so is the other.

 

Also note that in both cases the male alleged perpetrator has been charged.  So why only protest for one of the cases?

 

At no point did I say that anything is unique to Thailand, but the level of violence against women, the acceptance of it, the public reaction to it, et., is going to differ from country to country.

 

Thailand clearly has a problem of both sexual and physical violence against women and if "feminists" want to address either, they should be addressing everything about being a woman in Thailand.

You make good points.

On so many topics on these forums though, if someone has an opinion, or suggests action on a particular thing, or calls out bad behaviour, the boring refrain is 'Well what about these other situations or things' as though you are automatically a hypocrite for not dealing with or addressing all the other similar or not so similar scenarios.

If people want to focus on a particular problem or issue then let's discuss if they have a good point and not tear them down for not addressing a myriad of other similar but different situations. Not saying you are doing this by the way. 

3 hours ago, smedly said:

they should have gone to the med or just about anywhere else, most sensible countries have now lifted restrictions why on earth would you come here

Fair point. I have changed tickets from  February to May and now June. Can't change it more. Hope they get rid of the rules for 1 June but if not I might still take a punt. I like Thailand, and other options don't seem so good, coming from Australia in June. 

I am a bit sympathetic because it is still not clear what the options are if positive e.g. your choice or their choice of hotel, hospitel, likely cost, etc. But they took a punt and have to cop it. 

1 hour ago, transam said:

Nothing would convince me to like Rap music, to me it's just a bloke talking to himself whilst others are banging out a few sounds.

 

There are very old groups out there that would fill a stadium with the click of their fingers, Rolling Stones come to mind, and just imagine if the Beatles were still about, that would be a blast...????

I think it's a cultural thing. I am a bit the same. But try Die Antwoord from South Africa. Take a bit of getting used to but they have something to say.

Enter the Ninja. Fatty Boom Boom. Rich Bitch. Ugly Boy. 

Was watching a clip of them at a concert singing 'I fink u freeky' to a young audience and it was a bit fun to relate to how they were feeling. 

Because we are older we may not have the same life experience  as the target young audience, and don't feel as stimulated by the modern approach to love songs, and such.

But more importantly, in my opinion, there are limits to pop melodies and tunes and we have often actually heard it before - like watching a new movie where you've seen the same approach, plot moves etc, before.

9 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

You see, this is precisely why I spend little time on these forums, people like you, attitudes like this. TVF is full of bitter old men.  People marry into Thailand without understanding the people they are marrying. That's their fault. When my money ran out, I was thrown a lifeline by Thai family and I'm not going to be the farang that ran out when things go bad. . . Everyone's experience of life is different of course.

9 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

I think you kind of understand what I'm saying. To me, all taxation is fraudulent, and none more fraudulent than making tax payers pay for the elderly of others.

Not sure if you believe in this specific concept or just in being good to people who are good to you. 

The concept seems to be based on obedience and devotion, possibly without question, almost a religious thing. Would you support it if they had not been nice. Or do you think by supporting the concept, and living in a certain way,  it made your family nice respectful and good people.  

Isn't taxation itself a broader form of devotion and support of our fellow people. Or are those without a family to be discarded with no support for health, housing and basics such as food.  

It is noted too that as we get older the concept of helping and respecting the elderly can seem a more desirable concept. 

36 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Meanwhile, back in the real world.

 

"We've given Ukraine nearly €1 billion. That might seem like a lot but €1 billion is what we're paying [Vladimir] Putin every day for the energy he provides us with. Since the start of the war, we've given him €35 billion, compared to the €1 billion we've given Ukraine to arm itself."

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/04/06/eu-has-spent-35bn-on-russian-energy-and-just-1bn-on-aid-borrell

Sanctions are hurting the Russian economy much more than the changes in $ value of oil and gas sales. 

54 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

If you are concerned about atrocities, why didnt European Countries step in  when there was genocide happening recently in Myanmar , with about 1 million people being chased off their land and murdered , raped and killed or the continuing atrocities occurring in Yemen , in both Countries, far worse things happened than are now happening in Ukraine .

   Is it because Ukrainians are Caucasian that you feel the need to help them  ?

The Myanmar treatment of Rohingya was of course abysmal. The west took action but it was inadequate. The situation in Yemen and the background battles between Saudi Arabia and Iran is having terrible impacts on the country.

One answer may be that as a westerner we do relate more to suffering of people who are a bit more like us. Who we can relate to. The other is that it is happening on the boundary of the western world of which we are familiar and there is a clear fight between western democratic and authoritarian values. The other is the affect on our lives such as higher petrol prices and grain prices. The other is the fact of a focal point on an evil individual being Putin who many of us have thought was evil and corrupt long before this. The other is the fact that Russia is a nuclear power and for the first time in a long time there use has been threatened.

You may be able to find some inconsistencies and contradictions in the moral outrage and general concern. Hopefully though we can all concur that the specifics of this case should involve moral outrage and general concern. 

As a non gay observer I take your point on these issues. It is a concern and seems mostly just political frippery. It could do harm to gay kids who could do with role models and a helping hand and an acknowledgement that they are normal.  

I don't though like comparisons with Putin and Russia. A teacher having to be careful about what they say about their personal life, or about expressing how they consider the world is, may not be ideal but of course it's not comparable to the limitations in Russia. You may think it's a slippery slope but it ain't that slippery because even the proponents are being very careful about how they are expressing themselves. It is 2022, and in the United States the gay freedom genie is out of the bottle, and isn't going back in.

The other thing is, there is an element of truth in the concept that teachers in general need to keep personal values and ideals and preferences out of the classroom, as much as is possible. Especially as it relates to transgender stuff which is controversial and needs special care. Before kids are at least teenagers I can see that parents don't want to give teachers the ability to take the conversation down their own personal rabbit hole . You can still teach that it's good to let people follow their own path without getting into specifics.